The Luke Littler effect: How 'The Nuke' heads to World Darts Championship with 'Littlermania' pushing sport to new levels

The World Darts Championship is back bigger than ever, live on Sky Sports, with the rapid rise of Luke Littler helping to take interest and excitement in the sport to unprecedent levels.

Littler was less than a year old when darts' showpiece event first most moved to Alexandra Palace, but the teenager is now back as defending champion and looking to add another achievement to his already remarkable darting CV.

There were high expectations from a young age for Littler, who first played the sport as toddler on a magnetic board - while still in nappies - and describes listening to walk-ons of Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld among his early darting memories.

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Littler continued to charge through the junior ranks before showcasing himself to the sporting world with his dramatic World Championship debut, as a 16-year-old, where he shattered expectations with his thrilling run to the final.

That maiden appearance threw Littler - and darts generally - back into the public spotlight, putting it on the back pages, generating huge interest on social media and seeing the sport engage with previously untapped audiences.

Littler's performance on the oche has continued to go from strength to strength, winning almost every TV major available within the first two years of his professional career, while his impact off it continues to inspire a new wave of potential future stars.

The 18-year-old can now emulate Van Barneveld and 'his idol' Taylor by becoming a multiple world champion, having already cemented himself as one of the sports' all-time greats, with his journey to world No 1 a big factor in the game continuing to grow.

"It's just incredible - he appeals to five-year-olds and 75-year-olds!" said Sky Sports' Wayne Mardle, a former world championship semi-finalist and part of this year's coverage.

How the 'Littler effect' brings record interest

A record 128 players will feature in the 2025/26 World Darts Championship and aiming to win the £1m first prize, double the money on offer for last year's contest, with the growth extending much further than the Alexandra Palace stage.

TV audiences continue to grow, with events heading to Saudi Arabia and new venues across the globe, while Littler himself continues to be among the highest-searched sports stars on Google.

Hundreds of thousands of children have been given Littler-branded magnetic dartboards since their launch, with his signature darts and iconic purple & yellow playing shirt also sort-after merchandise at levels not seen before.

The biggest impact has been the increased playing opportunities for junior players, with the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) events - aimed at players from 10 to 18 - have trebled inside four years with entries continuing to reach record levels.

A new generation are taking to the sport, with Jayden Walker making headlines for his performances as a 12-year-old, Mitchell Lawrie reaching the WDF world final aged 15 and more darts academies looking to unearth more young talents.

"Thank god Luke didn't come along 15 years ago, because there wouldn't have been the infrastructure there is now to keep up with the demand," JDC chairman Steve Brown told Sky Sports.

"Since Luke's arrival on the world stage, the academies have exploded. What he has done for sport and kids in general…the impact has been amazing and most academies have waiting lists now.

"There was always a Luke Littler coming along through our system, but he has raised the bar now. All these kids who grew up watching him, or mainly got into the sport because of him, all expect to be as good as him.

"What we've got is Luke up here, then 10 to 12 kids not far behind him. It used to be the parents dragging the kids along to the academies, but certainly now - after Luke Littler - it's kids dragging their parents along!"

Littler has played his role in getting darts back in the sporting spotlight. While he may continue to be the man to chase in the months and years ahead at the World Championship, others will keep pushing to match his extraordinary achievements.

"I wouldn't be surprised if in five years, we had two teenagers in a [world championship] final battling it out," Mardle added. "The social media world would be going absolutely bonkers at them because that's what it is now."

Watch 'The Luke Littler effect' on Sky Sports, with the new documentary available on Thursday December 11 at 6pm and repeated throughout the World Darts Championship on Sky Sports Darts.

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live from December 11 on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407). Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.

(c) Sky Sports 2025: The Luke Littler effect: How 'The Nuke' heads to World Darts Championship with 'Littlermania' pushing sport to new levels